DRIVING UNDER BLACKOUT CONDITIONS.

[Joe Gopan]

Driving with just your BO.Markers and BOD Light. Has any Jeep or other MV owners actually driven in a convoy under strict blackout rules within the parameter of the vehicle operating instructions and the the convoy driving instructions in TM9-460, the WWII Military Drivers Manual?

Adjust your BOD and try it, it takes discipline and practice to get 100% compliance. The Officers and NCO's will frustrate you with petty items.
Organize a 10 vehicle convoy and see what happens.

[W. Winget]

Yes, and if one searches, I posted the specifics on distances and such in previous posts. All of which are occasionally available in the -10, but best found in the wheeled or tracked vehicle driver instruction manuals.

Funny side story: I drove down to the night driving course at Fort Benning one night in my restored 42 Command Car to check the night driver training phase, (CO of Bradley training Company in the 80's) switched on my BOD about a mile out. Upon arrival on-site I witnessed my NCO's having trainee drivers switch out and move the BFV's only about 20-30 yards or so around an island of trees, then put a new driver in.
I blew up....asked "why" and my NCOs claimed it was dangerous....well that is exactly WHY we do the training, do it's less dangerous when the troops get to their units....I ordered my NCOs to have each trainee drive the whole mile long lap around the vehicle obstacle course from that point on starting right then (and those that had already been shorted). It made a few of them mad, but I had previously established that it was a half day the next training day so the troops and cadre could recover just for that purpose. From then on, I made a point of checking up on them, they never knew when I would show up with the Command Car or my assigned CUCV.
V/R W. Winget

PS: 1st use by "U.S." of blackout drive lights: The 1918 Standard B truck "Liberty " but only the early 1917 prototypes kept it, Type I's in production dropped them, and Type II's went backward in tech to to gas lanterns. WAW

[Joe Gopan]

And no matter how the unit tries, there will be a couple vehicles that do not light up correctly. I have not convoyed in WWII trucks but have seen trucks that had trailer lights that were plugged in wrong on M-Series vehicles during convoys, or light switches in wrong position, (these glitches make an evaluators' day). A driver should be fluent with each control on his vehicle.

[Marty, SoCal]

Many long road marches in the old M-60A1 tanks at the "29 Stumps" with only BO lights. Night vision goggles and starlight viewers for the driver, though. We found we didn't need the IR or BO Drive lights, just the markers would light up the road very well with the NVG's.

[Fortyeight2A]

I've driven on dirt roads on full moon nights with no headlights. No convoy, just me. 'Zat count?

[Joe Gopan]

Not quite. Did you get your deer ?

[Fortyeight2A]

None of that kind of thing went on. Just playin' around.

[Joe Gopan]

I had all the early 60's IR equipment for my M-114, the world looked green thru the M-19 Periscope, could actually read a map or a newspaper held in front of the vehicle.

[Chuck Lutz]

With a fender mounted BOD light in the US, you can tell if the owner is into driving "BO Style" or not...very easily...if his fender BO light is facing STRAIGHT forward he hasn't tried to light up the road with it! If it is slightly turned to the right so it would be centered on the lane the jeep is driving in then it probably has been set up correctly. They don't put out that much light and convoys didn't travel that fast....so you can also aim the light to illuminate the road (and any potential vehicle in front of you) at about12 feet or so If I remember correctly.

Those driving in the left lane (UK) would have it aimed a little less, but definitely a bit more straight ahead and maybe just a tad to the right.

[Joe Gopan]

A good publication for those who are interested is Tm 21-305, December 1956, copies are easy to find The BO Driving information is brief and only 4 pages in length and is gives insight to old fashioned Blackout Operation WWII style.
Many WWII Combat Units restricted operators with glasses to "assistant driver" when driving in Blackout conditions.

[Michael O.]

We convoyed in HMMWV's but usually aided with the use of NVG's. Remember to turn the IR light off or you'll get a bad reflection off the windshield!

My Mar '43 GPW and my Oct '44 MB should both be fully restored soon...I'm really looking forward to trying BO driving conditions in those!

[Joe Gopan]

There are hand signals involved in WWII Convoy Driving, they are very easy to learn, some of you serious MV historians will find them handy during your Motor Marches.